Far From Men (2014)

Directed by: David Oelhoffen
Country: France

Movie Review: Loosely adapted from Albert Camus’ existentialist short story “The Guest”, “Far From Men” is probably the most generous tale I’ve seen lately on film. Taking us to 1954’ rebellious Algeria, more precisely to the Atlas mountains, the third feature from writer/director David Oelhoffen overcomes every possible conflict among religions, probing an unlikely friendship between Daru (Viggo Mortensen), a solitary French Algerian-born schoolteacher, and a man entrusted to his care, Mohamed (Reda Kateb), a non-rebel Arab farmer who slit his cousin’s throat in a squabble about grain. The reluctant Daru, also a former French Army official, was ordered to take this apparently craven man to Tinguit to face trial and hear a verdict that certainly wouldn’t bring anything different than death. Surprisingly, is Mohamed himself who asks to be taken there, humbly accepting his fate. The fatiguing long walk, throughout the precarious rocky ground and occasional harsh weather conditions, will bring many encounters, some unwelcome, some less bad. As a man of principles, Daru gets visibly affected whenever an extreme situation forces him to kill. All he wants is to get back to his tiny school, but after listening to what the prisoner-turned-companion has to say, he presents him with the most beautiful of the gifts: the choice of freedom. At the sound of exotic melodies composed by Warren Ellis and Nick Cave, Oelhoffen thoroughly recreates the suffocating atmosphere of Camus’ works, thanks to the arid landscapes captured by the lens of cinematographer Guillaume Deffontaines, even if the pronounced Western genre seems a bit unreasonable within this context. Equally humane and sad, rather gentler than vibrant, the extremely well acted “Far From Men” addresses war, choices and courage in a very personalized way.

While We're Young (2014)

Directed by: Noah Baumbach
Country: USA

Movie Review: American writer-director, Noah Baumbach, already proved to be a great storyteller, fact reinforced in “While We’re Young”, his latest comedy-drama that comes equipped with intelligent dialogues and humor, and a meaningful vision of real life, executed with an amusing lightness. Just as in his previous works (“The Squid and the Whale”, “Greenberg”, or the chic black-and-white “Frances Ha”), we breathe a sense of reality and a particular way of approaching real-life problems with the appropriate dramatic balance. Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts play Josh and Cornelia, a married couple in their mid-forties who keep struggling to achieve success in their work, and also with the fact they can’t have children. Feeling like misfits in front of their best friends, now parents, the documentary filmmaker and his producer wife will see their lives making an abrupt turn when they meet an ambitious younger couple, Jamie (Adam Driver) – a documentarian wannabe and Darby (Amanda Seyfried) – an ice-cream maker. At the same time that a breath of fresh air arrives, they realize, slowly but vigorously, that they have different values and are in a completely distinct phase of life. As usually, Mr. Baumbach shaped his characters with depth, and the cast is no less than sensational, helping him to accomplish that. In particular, Stiller and Driver, each one in their own way, deliver top-notch performances. The story was never contrived, not even in the most insane scenes (the peak was when they join a cult group to let their demons out), effortlessly flowing with an innate subtleness and arresting graciousness. Personally, the film merely touched me on the surface but it’s honest enough to take us straight to a few truths while entertains.

Court (2014)

Directed by: Chaitanya Tamhane
Country: India

Movie Review: It’s quite impressive how “Court”, a befitting satire on today’s Indian judicial system, has been collecting prizes all over the festivals it participates. Venice, Viennale, Mumbai, Singapore and Hong Kong are only some of them, which recognized the subtle but well-outlined assessment behind the first work of filmmaker Chaitanya Tamhane. The film is a long, cogitative and well-observed exercise centered in an absurd case of prejudice and bureaucracy involving the multiple arrests of the people’s folk singer and poet, Narayan Kamble. Accused of inciting a sewage worker to commit suicide, the fragile singer has no other option than relying on his dedicated lawyer who will have a female public prosecutor as a fierce (and often irritating) opponent. There’s also a somewhat superficial look at the family lives of the ones involved in the case, meaning the two lawyers and the judge, but curiously not the dauntless Kamble who turns out inflammable with a microphone but is becoming weary of the harassments he’s subjected to. This is a courtroom tragicomedy with so many good things – vivid imagery, admirable performances, a strong representation of Indian social status, and witty dialogues; however, on the other hand, it shows some difficulties flowing, especially when the camera lingers too much time on other small court cases, which aim to reinforce the stupidity of the legal system in cause, but deflects the story from its central point. Therefore, some editing would be valuable here. Mr. Tamhane has opted for a formal execution, which sometimes counterpoints with the confrontational jokes that are caustically being thrown in the air. “Court” is worth seeing for its pungent examination and clever observations.

In Order of Disappearance (2014)

Directed by: Hans Petter Molland
Country: Norway / Sweden

Movie Review: Stellan Starsgard stars in “In Order of Disappearance”, an amusing Norwegian gangster tale, written by Kip Fupz Aakeson and directed by Hans Petter Moland. This is the fourth successful collaboration between the director and the actor (“Zero Kelvin”, “Aberdeen”, “A Somewhat Gentle Man” – this last one also written by Aakeson), but only this time it’s Pal Sverre Hagen, as the eccentrically neat Mafia boss, who becomes one of the best motives to watch this flick. Set in Norway, the film opens with the exemplary Nils (Starsgard), a respected Dane who owns a company that provides snow removal services, proudly preparing himself to be awarded the Norwegian ‘Citizen of the Year’ prize. In the same breath, his son Ingvar, employee in a small airfield, is mistakenly kidnapped and forced into a van by two thugs, and then killed with an induced overdose. Unconvinced that his son was a drug addict, the modest Nils leaves the gentleness behind and becomes a merciless hitman, when he finds the gang responsible for his pain. One by one, he starts to eliminate the members of the gang as he tracks them down, but the main goal is to reach the inaccessible mad header, Greven (Hagen), a ruthless man whose only torment is the mother of his bullied son. Soon, Nils realizes that the best to get to him might be through the latter. His successive executions also trigger a gangster war between the local mob and the Serbs with whom they had an agreement to share the airfield for illicit businesses. Death is the word of order here; you will find so many that will be hard to count them all. Sometimes the film seems to get out of track, but the sarcastic humor (have you heard about Norwegian prisons?) and Greven’s immaculate figure, keep holding out the enjoyable levels.

Breathe (2014)

Directed by: Mélanie Laurent
Country: France

Movie Review: As a psychological coming-of-age drama, “Breathe”, the second feature from actress turned director, Mélanie Laurent, doesn’t let us down. Laurent shared the writing credits with another French actor, Julien Lambroschini, basing herself on the bestselling novel of the same name by Anne Sophie-Brasme. The film is a refreshing tale of poisoned friendship between two teenage girls, depicted with solid emotional contours, but somehow penalizing the whole with a finale that seemed too brusque and easy for me. Josephine Japy plays the 17-year-old Charlene aka Charlie, who finds solace in the company of her loyal group of school friends since at home she’s restless due to their parents’ bitter relationship. When the seductive and easy talker, Sarah, impeccably performed by Lou de Laage, arrives for the first time, Charlie seemed conquered by her apparent freedom and self-assured posture. While Charlie willingly shares her most inner secrets with Sarah, the latter will do exactly the opposite, concealing aspects of her private life that are anything but cheerful or motivating. Can this life be an excuse for Sarah’s intolerable behavior toward Charlie? Her game consisted, basically, of manipulative moves, taking whatever she wants, and then unthankfully moving away again, avoiding and despising who helped her. This contemptuous falsity was successfully depicted, drawing an inevitable irritation that makes us take the side of Charlie when tragedy occurs. An oppressive suffocation (valid for both characters) can be distinctly felt throughout the film – the continual attempts to understanding what’s going on, emotional shakiness, an asthma crisis, an urgent open of a window, or a terrifying conclusion – all of them require a deep breathe.

Backcountry (2014)

Directed by: Adam MacDonald
Country: Canada

Movie Review: Adam MacDonald’s directorial debut feature is a credible, tense indie thriller, based on true events, that realistically explores the misadventures of a passionate urban couple in the Canadian wilderness. Alex (Jeff Roop) and Jenn (Missy Peregrym) agree to go on a relaxing weekend trip into the nature, spending some well deserved time together, surrounded by sky, trees, and waterfalls. Convinced he knows pretty well where he was going, and planning on proposing to her, Alex lost the track for his route. Horrified, the couple finds themselves lost in the territory of a threatening black bear, without a map or cell phone. Even before that, Mr. MacDonald tries to distract us with the appearance of a suspicious stranger whose talk and behavior caused some uneasiness. In a first stage, the film relies on common strategies, playing with disturbing noises where the silence reigns, and tenuous lights upon the darkness. These preparations last almost an hour, with Jenn’s facial expression suggesting she was premeditating something harmful, especially whenever they had to opt for a direction. When the bear effectively attacks, we are shaken by the powerful, shocking images that convey a genuine sensation of terror. Alex, completely disfigured, ends up being meat dish for the avid bear, while Jenn is abandoned to her own luck, trying to follow her surviving instincts. “Backcountry” doesn’t really break new ground, however, its story is solidly built to a crescendo, what is another point in favor. It’s as if we wanted the story to come to an end, finishing with the agony, and at the same time keep on watching more. The score by Fréres Lumiéres was adequate for each situation while cinematographer Christian Bielz did a nice job.

The Dark Horse (2014)

Directed by: James Napier Robertson
Country: New Zealand

Movie Review: Imagine a blend of “Shine”, “The Chess Players” and “Once Were Warriors”, and you’ll have “The Dark Horse”. Director James Napier Robertson, based himself on the true story of Genesis Potini, a former speed chess champion of Maori descent who, as a part of his therapy for bipolar disorder, focuses on teaching kids with a high risk of being recruited by the lawless local gangs. The story takes place in Gisborne, Genesis’ hometown, where the chess club entitled The Eastern Knights hosts a bunch of smart kids showing a huge eagerness to participate in a tough championship in Oakland. The man behind this unthinkable idea was the feverish Genesis who, under the effect of pills and in the midst of his litanies of excitement and awe, faces the suspicious parents, including his own brother whose son, Mana, reveals great skills and interest in the game, but is about to be initialized in his father’s gang through a traumatic ritual. With a predilection for backlit photography, Robertson presents us two distinct sides: a sweet one, carrying noble intentions and positive attitudes; and a dark one, where a tough social reality is toxic enough to be vehemently condemned. There’s a strong sequence of images that confronts the two opposite realities: while Mana gets visibly disturbed with the violence of the ritual and is forced to cope with it, the other youths give wings to artistic creativity on the streets in order to raise money for the trip. Cliff Curtis, in his most notable performance to date, was brilliant as Genesis, an exemplary man that despite the illness, never ceased to believe in his dream. “The Dark Horse” isn't emotionally perfect, yet its positive message stays with us.

The Wonders (2014)

Directed by: Alice Rohrwacher
Country: Italy / others

Movie Review: Alice Rohrwacher is an emergent Italian filmmaker whose impressive talent could be proven in her debut “Corpo Celeste”. In her second feature-length, “The Wonders”, she keeps involving us with her powerful filmmaking, vigorously pushing us into a story that conveys as much beauty as sadness, in its own melancholic yet observant way. The characters are intriguing; it seems that there’s always something to be discovered in them. This sense of unpredictability is present throughout all the film, functioning as a secret formula to keep us pursuing a story that takes the time to evolve. With an attentive social awareness, “The Wonders” is centered on teenager Gelsomina who lives in a rural region with her parents and three younger sisters. Their house seems not to gather the best conditions to be living in but has a neat honey laboratory that mainly guarantees their livelihood. Being a real expert with bees, Gelsomina is indispensable to her father, Wolfgang, a traditional beekeeper whose stubbornness and strictness is followed by limited ambitions. Since he lacks responsibility and is a big spender, indulging himself into certain eccentricities like buying a camel to reward his daughter’s work, the family has sunk in debt. A unique opportunity to overcome the situation arises when they are invited to participate in a TV show contest for farmers called ‘The Land of Wonders’. Gelsomina, despite stuck in her family life, will also reveal an admirable maturity when deal with an emotionally insecure friend of the family, Cocó, and a quiet troubled teen, Martin, who arrived to help her father. The uncanny finale proves that this family doesn’t break, even in the worst situations. Slightly less riveting than “Corpo Celeste”, “The Wonders”, overall is a palpable, rich drama.

Faults (2014)

Directed by: Riley Stearns
Country: USA

Movie Review: Under the direction of debutant writer/director Riley Stearns, “Faults” falls in the particular category of thrillers about cult groups, the same that incorporates “Martha Marcy May Marlene”, “Sound of My Voice” and on a completely different level, the brilliant “The Master”. Mr. Stearns shows to be resourceful in a handful of shots while maintains a positive narrative stability among compelling drama, unfathomable mystery, and dark humor. The film opens with Dr. Ansel Roth (Leland Orser) eating in a hotel restaurant and trying to pay the bill with a voucher already used. A situation that doesn’t embarrass the moody Ansel, an advocate of free will with a polemic past, who was preparing himself for another presentation about 'lost people under the control of others', materialized in his new book entitled ‘Follower’. Coming off a broken marriage, and losing credibility in his theories and methods (some guy in the audience even beat him up), Ansel’s future seems not very encouraging, fact aggravated when his former manager, Terry (Jon Gries), gives him an ultimatum to pay off a huge debt. His chance to get away with this last situation comes when a couple asks for his help with their daughter, Claire (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who avoids contact with family and friends after joining a cult group called ‘Faults’. Ansel’s solution: kidnap Claire and submit her to a 5-day program to clean her mind, paying the debt with the income for his services. The Q&A that comes next gives us a clearer picture of the cult but can’t explain the mysterious occurrences they are experiencing. It's all about assuming control. The same control brought into play by Leland Orser, here resembling Dustin Hoffman, and turning him into the heart of the film.

Stratos (2014)

Directed by: Yannis Economides
Country: Greece / others

Movie Review: “Stratos”, best film at Thessaloniki film festival, is a solid crime thriller whose title is the name of its main character, a solitary man who served years in prison after he has murdered the men who messed with his girl. While in jail, he became the protégé of the feared inmate, Leonidas, a former mafia leader who saved his life. Now enjoying freedom again, Stratos operates secretively as a hitman for someone close to Leonidas during the daytime while at night he works in a baking factory to maintain the appearances. Despite being warned in relation to Leonidas’ brother, Yorgos, he ends up deceived while continues to finance a risky plan for digging a subterranean tunnel that was supposed to take Leonidas out of the prison. In a parallel front, Stratos will try everything to prevent a little neighbor girl from falling into the hands of the new mafia shark, Petropoulos, as a form of paying a debt owed by her negligent parents, Vicky and Maki. Petropoulos and his haughty wife also keep trying to persuade Stratos to join their dirty clan. This bleak portrait of a cold assassin is earnest and implacable, raising a moral issue that disappears during the final act when the killer opts for a righteous move. Respectful filmmaker Yannis Economides creates a remorseless character whose sense of doom becomes strongly outlined from the time he decided to do something right in his miserable life. Notable actor Vangelis Mourikis was the perfect vehicle for his intentions, in their third collaboration after “Soul Kicking” and “Knifer”. Clearly influenced by film noir dramas, the well-balanced “Stratos” holds onto a mood that is closer to Mellville’s “Le Samourai” than Corbijn’s “The American”.

They Have Escaped (2014)

Directed by: JP Valkeapaa
Country: Finland / others

Movie Review: J.P. Valkeapaa demonstrates why he is a filmmaker to keep in mind, after presents us with “They Have Escaped”, the second feature of his career. In a small Finnish town, two misfits meet at a halfway house for troubled teenagers, initiating a caustic adventure that will change their lives forever. Reserved and quiet, Joni (Teppo Manner), of 19 years old, arrives to the facility with the mission of confiscating illegal substances, after having fled the military service due to stuttering. He was given no choice, since it’s that work or jail. Despite the warnings that strictly forbade him to make friends or hang out with the teenage dwellers, he becomes attracted to the 17 year-old, Raisa (Roosa Soderholm), a rebellious bleached-hair punk with red lips and heavy dark eyeshadow, helping her to get away with stolen cigarettes. Together, they will take the road of adventure towards Raisa’s home, plus a brief visit to her grandma. Guided by vague dreams and hopes of a more exciting future, this escapade won't be devoid of perturbation and mishaps along the way. Forced to steal and ask for a ride, they end up being caught in a final macabre experience that marks a radical change in the direction taken initially. The moments of enjoyment are as many as the afflictive ones, but “They Have Escaped” transforms itself into a really dark, claustrophobic experience that can be disconcerting in its last minutes due to its baffling final scene. It’s a shame that Valkeapaa only has created hypnotic dreamlike ambiances for brief moments, but the film benefits with strong performances, an impactful sound design, and the contrasting humor/terror of the tale. It works both as a social criticism and a cutting experiment on horror, set up in unrelenting tones.

Black Sea (2014)

Directed by: Kevin Macdonald
Country: UK / Russia / USA

Movie Review: Scottish film director, Kevin Macdonald, knows how to handle a thriller, gathering all the possible familiar aspects inherent to a submarine thriller. “Black Sea” was still capable to catch my attention by adding factors like greediness, frustration, xenophobia and perseverance to a risky underwater mission outlined with routine moments of tension and claustrophobia. Jude Law plays Robertson, an offended submarine captain who got fired from the salvage company he had been working so hard for eleven years. Disappointed and physically detached from his wife and 12 year-old son who were both doing fine without him, Robertson seemed condemned to drink in pubs with depressed friends in the same conditions as he was. However, when a financed operation to find a WWII German U-boat lying in the bottom of the sea, supposedly full of gold, is put in his hands, he didn’t hesitate to fully accept it. For that, he will have to gather a crew of twelve men, half British half Russian, since the old submarine to use is from Russian origin. A senseless American called Daniels, connected to the investor, is also joining them in the risky treasure hunt whose accidents, threats, crazy maneuvers and dives into the unknown, are just some occurrences to expect. A substantial part of the tension comes from the men who were divided by country. Apart from Robertson, there’s a particularly interesting character that stands out for his sly behavior and defiant posture; Frazer is his name, a mad diver, superbly performed by Ben Mendelsohn. The adventure grows pretty exciting in the last thirty minutes and the finale, if not totally unexpected, did have a good impact on me.

Stations of the Cross (2014)

Directed by: Dietrich Bruggemann
Country: Germany

Movie Review: The fourth feature film by Dietrich Bruggemann, “Stations of the Cross”, was co-written with his sister Anne, making an interesting parallelism between a modern world tale, set in a Southern German town, and the 14 stations of the cross endured by Jesus towards Calvary. Maria is a14 year-old somber girl who lives obsessed with God and religion. Coming from a very conservative family, Maria feels helpless most of the time, struggling against the fear of sin and brainwashed by her merciless unloving mother and the town’s priest, Father Weber. While preparing to receive the sacrament of Confirmation, Maria is getting more and more obsessed with the idea of sacrificing her life for God to save her 4 year-old little brother who suffers from a mysterious disease. After start talking with Christian, a schoolmate who has a crush on her, Maria seems to vacillate in her intentions, giving signs of wanting to relate with outside people. As her mother denies her any type of affection and castrates her even more, Maria tries to extend her arms to Bernadette, a French friend of the family, who gave her the protection, trust and understanding that she couldn’t find in her real mother. However, and after getting seriously ill, not even a very concerned doctor seems capable to deviate the tormented young girl from her ordeal. We can glimpse a hint of the psychological strength of Haneke and Ulrich Seidl’s cinema, but never too intense to shock directly with its meticulous scenes and dialogues. Saint or not, the truth is that Lea van Acken’s performance was convincing, and the long shots of “Stations of the Cross” invites us to a sort of bitter commiseration.

The Infinite Man (2014)

Directed by: Hugh Sullivan
Country: Australia

Movie Review: Australian writer/director, Hugh Sullivan, intelligently picks a washed out idea such as time-shifting, giving it a fresh shape in his debut feature. Sci-fi rom-com “The Infinite Man” doesn’t disappoint, especially due to a more funnier and engaging concept than those used in similar films, cases of “The One I Love” and “Coherence”. Josh McConville is great in the role of Dean, an obsessed man who does everything to provide perfection in the anniversary of his relationship with Lana (Hannah Marshall). He takes her to an abandoned hotel somewhere in Australia where the desert and the beach seems to merge. The obstinately romantic Dean was happy to be in control of the situation when Lana’s infamous former boyfriend, Terry (Alex Dinitriades), unexpectedly shows up to ruin his plans. Marked by frustration and jealousy that ends up in a hysterical threat of immolation, Dean decides to dump Lana, staying by himself at the hotel working on a tech device that makes possible to redo what went wrong: time travel. The unstable time loop created will duplicate situations (past and present) and also characters that fight and trick one another to conquer what they want. Not without some confusion, the indie “The Infinite Man” brings some originality to the subject in an absurdist way, putting side to side the sad original Dean and the happy Dean of the future, and taking on the perfectionism with inventiveness and neat humor. Considering the low budget (filmed in a single location with just three actors), Sullivan did a pretty well job, controlling this surrealistic adventure with steady hand. Let’s wait for his next time hop and see if the future will confirm the promising direction taken here.

The Dark Valley (2014)

Directed by: Andreas Prochaska
Country: Austria / Germany

Movie Review: Achieving considerable notoriety in its origin countries, Austria and Germany, “The Dark Valley” grips us with a tale of vengeance set in a remote village of the Austrian Alps. With a sturdy hand, director Andreas Prochaska, builds this western with passion, even considering that some viewers might be frustrated when trying to find answers for some plausible questions, such as the real motives for the vengeance behind the story. The charismatic Sam Riley (“Control”, “On the Road”) stars as Greider, an apparently quiet stranger who introduces himself as a photographer, willing to pay for staying the winter in the village. The old Brenner and their six harsh sons, as the town rulers for many years, decided to accept his monetary offering, placing him in the house of a widow whose daughter Lucy develops a fondness for her lodger. Lucy is about to get married with Lucas, but gets concerned when informed by her future husband that the ritual known as ‘Primae noctis’, a medieval prerogative that allows the rulers to take the virginity of young brides, will occur after the wedding party with the priest’s connivance. This fact seems to be the reason for Greider’s presence, coinciding with two unexpected deaths in the Brenner family that will make him a suspect, a fugitive, but also a predator. Prochaska takes his time to build things up, but once we are immersed in the hunting process, our attention becomes focused, not on the contestable motives, but on the action itself. Some flashbacks can help turning the visually stunning “The Dark Valley” a bit clearer, while the occasionally incongruous score was its most negative aspect.

Top Five (2014)

Directed by: Chris Rock
Country: USA

Movie Review: Since this kind of comedies are not my cup of tea, I got surprised how entertained I was while watching “Top Five”, a satirical look into the public/private life of a celebrity and the gossips around him, set up in a fast n’ furious pace. Chris Rock wrote, directed, and starred as Andre Allen, a former stand-up celebrity, now on film, who tries to clean his image associated with alcohol consumption and problems with the law. Allen is engaged to TV celebrity Erica Long (Gabrielle Union) but will become even more confused about this matter after meeting Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson), a reporter interested in writing an honest story about him. Not feeling funny anymore, and frustrated with the harsh reviews of his latest film “Uprize”, Allen will expose his life and family to the sympathetic Chelsea who opens her heart after finding out that her boyfriend is gay, and ends up confessing she also has been sober for four years. Making use of an array of political and racial jokes, Chris Rock created a contagious feel-good movie, replete of sexually daring scenes, and dialogues that tend to be spicy. In my eyes it was funnier than “Dear White People”, which was unable to get the same vivacity, and more interesting than “Beyond the Lights”, even considering that the dramatic side here could have been better crafted. Evincing energizing shots of the streets of New York City, the provocative “Top Five” is not perfect, not even completely original, but at least it deals with polemics in a beneficial/hilarious way.

The Retrieval (2013)

Directed by: Chris Eska
Country: USA

Movie Review: Chris Eska’s third feature, “The Retrieval”, is set in 1864, in the middle of a destructive civil war, that bestows sufficient suspense and emotion to guarantee our attention. Will (Ashton Sanders), is a 13-year-old black kid who, together with his greedy uncle Marcus (Keston John), acts as a snitch for Burrell (Bill Oberst Jr.), a hunter of slaves whose mission is to capture and kill Nate (Tishuan Scott), an emancipated slave. Struggling against his conscience for betraying his own people, the bewildered Will receives training to mislead the chosen prey by convincing him that his brother is dying. Everything goes wrong after the men are caught in a shooting between the Northern and Southern forces. Along the way, throughout beautiful woods and forests, the fatherless boy and his new guardian, create an exceptional bond that impel them to protect each other from the dominant white men. In one occasion, Will repays the favor, saving Nate’s life, and the latter says: ‘you save me back there!’, to which the boy replied ‘I saved myself’. Eska was smart in his approach: not pushing the scenes beyond its limits, using efficient close-ups, and relying in the powerful cinematography from the Japanese Yasu Tanida. With a tighten plot and covering a well-defined historical context, the low-budgeted indie “The Retrieval” is a slow-burning thriller whose simplicity of processes don’t remove the power of the plot. Debutant young actor Ashton Sanders did a great job, as well as the former Oprah Winfrey Scholar, Tishuan Scott.

Predestination (2014)

Directed by: The Spierig Brothers
Country: Australia

Movie Review: With a bewildering plot and incisive storytelling, “Predestination” is a quite surprising sci-fi thriller that pelts us with a positive, intriguing ambiance. It’s the third feature film from Spierig brothers who counted with Ethan Hawke in the main role for the second consecutive time, after the not so convoluted “Daybreakers”, released in 2009. Sarah Snook, in a sort of DiCaprio style, also stars as a disgraced unmarried mother whose life was ruined when forced to become a man after being picked by a Government recruitment bureau that traces virgin teen girls with sublime skills in order to accomplish their mysterious missions. Later on, with the help of a Temporal Agent (Hawke) who’s in possess of a time-machine in the form of instrument suitcase, she will have the chance to get back to 1963 and revenge what they done to her. A discreet start misleads us to think that this would be another banal story, but after an entire hour of preparation, a key element in this case, the film shifts into action - risky missions, time travels, procedural routines and vicious cycles that may be baffling but widely satisfying. The film presents all the attributes to please, not particularly the lovers of visual sci-fi (since the special effects weren’t stunning), but the ones who fancy intricate plots set up in labyrinthine forms, in a similar way to “Looper”, “12 Monkeys” or “Inception”. Shot with good taste and vigorous colors, “Predestination” revealed to be creative enough to keep us ‘alive’ till the end, even if some plot elements, after thoroughly analyzed, leave us ruminating about its logic. Right after “Under the Skin”, this is another satisfying sci-fi release for this end of the year.

Pride (2014)

Directed by: Matthew Warchus
Country: UK

Movie Reviews: In his sophomore feature film “Pride”, the British filmmaker and dramatist, Matthew Warchus, gracefully composes a lively picture based on the real events that took place during the UK miner’s strike in 1984, where the small mining village of Onllwyin, in south Wales, decided to open their doors and accept the support of an activist group composed in its majority by lesbian and gays. The movement, entitled LGSM (Lesbian and Gays Support the Miners) will prove their dedication and competence, showing at the same time that they don’t ‘bite’ whoever is straight. United against the government of Margaret Thatcher, both gays and miners will embark in a successful cooperation never seen before, going even further later on, and promoting the ‘Pits and Perverts Benefit Concert’, an initiative that definitely conquered the miners, bringing some more inhabitants to fight for the cause. The characters are stereotyped but sympathetic, and “Pride” works more as a crowd-pleaser than a faithful portrait of the events. However, Warchus was able to create an entertaining, feel-good atmosphere by putting heart and soul in the right place, promoting a salutary coexistence, and trying to sensitize and open the minds utilizing effective humorous strategies. Although not totally surprising, “Pride” is an agreeable hymn to friendship and solidarity, taking well the opportunity to pass on the message that is urgent to abolish hate among people whose differences have to be respected. The fantastic soundtrack from the 80’s was mind blowing, while the cast responded accordingly to the demanding challenges proposed.

Buzzard (2014)

Directed by: Joel Potrykus
Country: USA

Movie Review: “Buzzard”, is an independent black comedy directed and co-starred by Joel Potrykus, who counted with Joshua Burge in the main role, as it happened previously, in the two first films of his Animal trilogy, the short “Coyote” and the feature “Ape”. Marty (Burge) is a scammer who is highly bored with his daily job. Solitary and moody, he seems a bit happier when listening to punk-metal music with a horrible mask on his face or when working on his modified Nintendo magic glove. Marty’s only acquaintance is the weirdo Derek (Potrykus), a co-worker in the mortgage company, who considers him a dangerous psycho. Irritating, video gamer and solitary as well, Derek, will become closer to Marty after letting him stay for some days in his basement, a.k.a. party zone. The funniest situations of the film are created in this space, where Derek tries to beat his record eating bugle snacks, or when the two friends fight with their special weapons after Marty starts acting bossy. Marty’s depressive state results more energetic than apathetic, however his character becomes more abhorrent than likeable. A long shot of him eating spaghetti with meatballs in a luxurious hotel room in Detroit exemplifies what I’m talking about. The low-budgeted “Buzzard” may lack some polish in several occasions but contains all the ingredients to become a cult film - eventful, depressively funny, totally focused on its anti-hero, and provocatively sad after all. Potrykus shows vision and creativity, while Burge was outstanding as a furious, anti-capitalist misfit who, in the end, runs towards a way out. Or it would be towards the following scam?